The counting of votes to decide the winners of the 22nd elections to Seanad Éireann will begin today in Leinster House, following weeks of gruelling canvassing by candidates throughout the State.
Fewer than 1,000 councillors are entitled to vote for the majority of candidates, although the arcane rules employed ensure that the destination of the final seats will not be known until Thursday night.
A Seanad election must be held within 90 days of the Dáil's dissolution. Forty-three are elected from five panels representing vocational interests, namely, Culture and Education, Agriculture, Labour, Industry and Commerce and Public Administration.
The Taoiseach nominates 11, while six are elected by the graduates of two universities, three each by graduates of the National University of Ireland and three more from the University of Dublin. In the last Seanad, Fianna Fáil had 31 senators, Fine Gael 16, the Progressive Democrats 3, Labour 3, Others 1, and there were six independent university senators.
Following its disastrous general election performance, Fine Gael's tally should drop, although party officials insist they have chosen a strong panel.
Four outgoing senators, Ms Madeleine Taylor Quinn, Mr John Connor, Mr Dino Cregan, and Mr Ernie Caffrey, were dropped from Fine Gael's official line-up, although all secured nominations from outside bodies.
The Progressive Democrats and Sinn Féin have decided not to put up candidates.
It is expected that, under the deal with Fianna Fáil, the Progressive Democrats will occupy four of the Taoiseach's 11 nominations, although this was not officially confirmed at the time the coalition pact was announced.
Sinn Féin, which has the votes of 26 elected representatives, including TDs and councillors, has decided to back the claims of the Independent Health Alliance candidate, Ms Kathy Sinnott, who lost narrowly in the general election in Cork South Central.
The counting of votes on the universities panel will begin on Wednesday, with a major battle expected between the outgoing senator and retired INTO secretary general, Mr Joe O'Toole, and the former ASTI president, Ms Bernadine O'Sullivan.
All six outgoing senators on the University of Dublin and National University of Ireland panels are seeking re-election. They joined 23 other candidates in the postal ballot open to 101,952 graduates.
